If you’re over 60 and still do these 8 things, you’re aging with more joy than most people realize

Getting older has a strange way of sneaking up on you, doesn’t it? One day you’re hustling through work deadlines or raising kids, and the next, you’re looking at a milestone birthday that makes you pause.

But here’s the thing: aging doesn’t have to mean fading. In fact, some people seem to light up more as the years go by. They carry a kind of easy joy that’s hard to miss — it’s in the way they laugh, connect, and keep showing up for life even when it gets messy.

If you’re over 60 and still do these eight things, you’re probably living with more vibrance, meaning, and joy than most people realize. Let’s unpack them.

1. You stay curious about life

Have you noticed how some people stop asking questions as they get older? They settle into what they know — and that’s where life starts to feel smaller.

Curiosity, on the other hand, keeps you awake to the world. Whether it’s trying a new recipe, asking your grandkids what’s trending on TikTok, or reading about quantum physics for fun (yes, some people do), curiosity turns ordinary moments into opportunities.

Psychologist Todd Kashdan, author of Curious?, puts it this way: “Curiosity is the key to a fulfilling life because it leads us to explore, learn, and grow.”

Staying curious keeps your mind young — and your heart open.

2. You keep moving your body

Let’s be real: aging joints aren’t always cooperative. But movement isn’t about performance anymore — it’s about joy.

When I started trail running in my forties, I wasn’t chasing records; I was chasing the feeling of being alive in my own skin. That’s the real gift of movement — it reconnects you to yourself.

And here’s something fascinating: research from Harvard Health shows that regular physical activity in older adults not only reduces disease risk but boosts mood and cognitive function too.

The key isn’t running marathons. It’s moving in ways that make you feel free — gardening, dancing in your kitchen, walking with friends. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s participation.

3. You nurture meaningful relationships

There’s no joy quite like being seen and loved for who you are — especially as the years unfold.

If you’re still making time to connect deeply with others, whether that’s through community volunteering, regular coffee chats, or late-night calls with old friends, you’re doing something profoundly important.

The Harvard Study of Adult Development — one of the longest-running studies on happiness — found that “close relationships, more than money or fame, are what keep people happy throughout their lives.”

So, if you’re still laughing with people who make your soul feel lighter, you’re already winning at this aging thing.

4. You laugh — especially when life feels chaotic

There’s something beautifully resilient about laughter. It’s a quiet rebellion against fear, frustration, and everything you can’t control.

I was reminded of this recently while reading Laughing in the Face of Chaos by Rudá Iandê. His insights on embracing life’s messiness hit home for me. One line that stuck with me was: “Fear walks beside us from our first breath to our last, and in its presence, we are united with every other human being.”

That reminder — that chaos and fear are part of being human — made me laugh a little easier at life’s absurdities. Sometimes, joy isn’t about avoiding the chaos but learning to laugh through it.

5. You let go of the need to be perfect

There’s a quiet confidence that comes with knowing who you are — wrinkles, quirks, and all.

Perfection loses its grip when you realize nobody’s keeping score. You stop comparing, and you start enjoying.

As author Brené Brown says, “Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving for excellence. Perfectionism is a way of thinking that says, ‘If I look perfect, live perfect, work perfect, I can avoid shame.’”

When you drop the performance and live authentically — showing up as your real, sometimes messy, beautifully imperfect self — joy sneaks in through the cracks.

6. You keep learning

Maybe you’re learning a new language. Maybe you’ve taken up watercolor painting or joined an online philosophy class just because you can.

Lifelong learners know that growth doesn’t have an expiration date. In fact, research published in Frontiers in Psychology found that learning new skills later in life enhances overall well-being and life satisfaction.

Every time you pick up something new, you’re proving that curiosity and courage don’t fade with age. And who knows — you might just surprise yourself with what else you’re capable of.

7. You forgive easily — yourself and others

By the time you hit 60, you’ve probably carried your fair share of hurts. But joyful people don’t let bitterness take root. They forgive — not because the past didn’t matter, but because peace does.

I once heard a therapist say, “Forgiveness is accepting that you can’t change the past, but you can choose what you carry into the future.” That stuck with me.

When you let go of resentment, you make room for lightness. You stop rehearsing old pain and start dancing with the present moment again.

8. You embrace change instead of fearing it

It’s tempting to cling to what feels familiar — the same routines, opinions, or ways of seeing yourself. But the truth is, joy thrives in adaptability.

When you let yourself evolve, even in small ways, life keeps expanding. You realize that each new season — even the uncertain ones — brings its own kind of beauty.

As Rudá Iandê beautifully puts it, “We are not just the light or the shadow — you are the entire, vibrant dance.”

Aging well isn’t about resisting change; it’s about dancing with it, one brave, graceful step at a time.

Final thoughts

If you recognize yourself in even a few of these habits, take a moment to smile. You’re doing something remarkable — you’re aging with presence, curiosity, and heart.

Getting older isn’t about decline; it’s about deepening. It’s about stripping away what doesn’t matter and discovering how much joy can fit inside an ordinary day.

So keep laughing, keep learning, and keep showing up for your life — even when it’s imperfect, even when it’s uncertain. That’s the real secret.

And as Rudá Iandê reminds us, “When we stop resisting ourselves, we become whole. And in that wholeness, we discover a reservoir of strength, creativity, and resilience we never knew we had.”